


It All Started with a Knock

by TripCreates



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Community: femslashbb, F/F, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Kissing, Mutual Pining, Nerd Gwen, Romance, Slow Burn, punk morgana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:18:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8887111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TripCreates/pseuds/TripCreates
Summary: Gwen has her night all planned out, Star Wars marathon with her brother. It's going to be great... until he cancels. Just as she thinks she'll have to spend the night alone, there's a knock at the door.~Written for the Femslash Big Bang 2016





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been in the works for over a year now and I am so glad to finally share it! If it wasn't for signing up for the femslash big bang I probably never would have gotten around to finishing it. I wouldn't have been able to get through it if it hadn't been for the support of soistalune and Rie. Thank you two so much!
> 
> I'd also like to give a big shout out to Sheila for beta reading this for me!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! All comments and kudos are much appreciated!

December 12, 2015

 

Gwen sat a bowl of popcorn and a bag of crisps on the coffee table before returning to the kitchen for a drink. As she opened the fridge, her phone buzzed, alerting her to an incoming text. She pulled the phone out of her pocket to see it was from Elyan.

[Elyan: _Hey sis, I won’t be able to make it tonight. Something came up at work. Sorry._ ]

Gwen was bummed. They had the whole night planned out for their Star Wars marathon.

[Gwen: _It’s fine. I understand. We can try and make it up tomorrow night?_ ]

[Elyan: _Yes. I can be around 2.]_

[Gwen: _See ya then.]_

Gwen put her phone back in her pocket and pulled out a drink for herself. She was walking back to the living room when there was a knock at the door.

She stared at the door for moment, brow furrowing, as she tried to think of who it could be. The person knocked again. Gwen sat the can of soda down on the coffee table before walking to the door. She peered through the peephole and was surprised to see her neighbor Morgana. They weren’t really friends, as they didn’t talk to each other often but they were at least friendly.

Gwen opened the door and said, “Hey, Morgana, is everything alright?”

Morgana bit her bottom lip and Gwen tried not to stare at her doing so.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Gwen. I know we aren’t really close friends but I’ve got a favor to ask you. If you say no I completely understand.”

“What’s the favor?” Gwen asked.

“Well, my roommate’s boyfriend is staying the night and the last time he was here, I couldn’t sleep because they tend to get quite noisy. Would it be possible for me to sleep on your couch tonight?”

Gwen wasn’t expecting that but found herself unable to say no. “Sure, you can stay the night.”

Morgana’s eyes lit up, and she smiled. “Really? It won’t be a problem?”

“Not at all,” Gwen replied, warm.

“I’ll go grab some things right quick and then I’ll be over. Thank you so much, Gwen. I really appreciate it.”

Gwen watched Morgana walk across the hall into her flat. She remained at the door, not knowing what to do with herself. Should she wait at the door or just walk away and leave the door open for Morgana? Gwen didn’t want to come off as weird by waiting by the door and have Morgana change her mind.

So, she decided to leave the door cracked for her return. Gwen glanced around her flat to see if she needed to tidy anything. As she straightened the couch pillows, she heard another knock at the door followed by Morgana calling her name.

Gwen looked up and saw Morgana standing in the doorway. “Come in. You can set your things in the chair,” she said, gesturing to the one by the couch.

Morgana nodded as she entered the flat, closing the door behind her, and walked over to the chair. She dropped a pillow, blanket and bag into it. She glanced around the room, taking in her surroundings, when she noticed the food on the coffee table.

“Are you expecting company tonight?”

“I was, but my brother had to cancel. You’re free to eat whatever you want of it. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Whatever you have is fine,” Morgana said, as she sat down on the couch.

Gwen went to the kitchen and returned with a can of soda, handing it to Morgana as she sat down. She picked her own can off the table and popped it open, taking a quick sip.

“Thanks,” Morgana said, opening hers as well. “I’m assuming you and your brother were planning to watch something tonight?”

“Star Wars. We were going to marathon them to get ready for the new movie that’s coming out soon.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed you for a Star Wars fan,” Morgana said.

Gwen shrugged. “Most people are surprised when they first meet me since I don’t look ‘nerdy’”, she said, “and then can’t believe I’m a science major. Honestly.”

“Well, you know how people are with their assumptions. How did you get into Star Wars?” Morgana shifted in her spot so that she could face Gwen, pulling her right leg underneath herself.

“It was because of my dad. He watched the movies with me and my brother when we were kids and we loved them. It became a family thing.”

Morgana smiled. “That’s sweet. My family never had anything like that.”

“I’m sorry that hear that,” Gwen said, unsure of what to say.

Morgana waved her off. “It’s alright, really.”

“Have you seen the Star Wars movies?” Gwen asked.

“Er, I vaguely remember seeing one of them when I was a child but not since,” Morgana answered.

“So you probably have seen the prequel trilogy either?”

Morgana shook her head.

“That’s alright.”

“I bet you’re judging me right now,” Morgana said.

“No, not at all!” Gwen gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m not going to hold it against you unless you don’t want to see them. Then we might have a problem,” she teased.

“I’m assuming you have all of the movies?”

Gwen nodded.

“Then let’s watch them so I can see what I’ve been missing!”

“Really? I mean, I don’t want you to feel like I’m pressuring you to watch them if you have no interest. I was only joking that we’d have a problem if you didn’t want to see them.” Gwen really hoped she hadn’t come off before as being pushy.

“No, I honestly wouldn’t mind watching them and it would give us something to do. Besides, we don’t want all these snacks to go to waste!”

 “Then let’s have a Star Wars marathon!” Gwen said, rising from the couch. She grabbed _A New Hope_ from off the coffee table and put it in the DVD player. “Do you want the lights on or off?”

“Let’s have them off,” Morgana said, as she readjusted herself again so she could face the TV.

Gwen walked around the couch to the light switch and flicked the lights off. As she returned to the couch, she felt a little nervous sitting next to Morgana. There wasn’t anything entirely romantic about them sitting together and watching movies, with plenty of space between them on the couch, but Gwen had a small crush on her neighbor. She hoped she could get through the night without embarrassing herself too much in front of Morgana.

Gwen barely knew Morgana and didn’t even know whether she was attracted to women or not.  But if by chance she was attracted to women, Gwen didn’t think someone who dressed like Morgana, along with her half shaved head, piercing and tattoos, would be into someone like Gwen. Either way, Gwen wanted to be friends with her and this sleepover night finally gave her a chance to get to know Morgana.

Little did Gwen know, Morgana was just as nervous. She remembered the day when she first saw Gwen move in across the hall. Of course Merlin was there beside her and teased her about the way she looked at Gwen. She didn’t think she was being that obvious and Gwen didn’t seem to notice.

In the few months that had passed since then, and Morgana tried talking to Gwen when she saw her around the building but didn’t know how to initiate anything before tonight. She had even expected Gwen to say no – and wouldn’t have blamed her. Morgana already had an alternative to where else she could have stayed for the night. But since it worked out, Morgan was glad for the first time that Merlin was dating Gwaine.

 

It was about fifteen minutes into the movie before either one of them talked and it was Gwen who broke the silence.

“You’ll probably laugh at me but ever since I moved in, I thought you and your roommate were dating.”

Morgana did laugh. “No, Merlin and I are certainly not dating. We did for a short time when we were teenagers but it wasn’t meant to be for us in that way.”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Gwen asked, looking away from the TV and at Morgana.

Morgana glanced at her for a moment before answering, realizing this was the moment to tell her. “I realized I wasn’t really that into guys so I told him. Not sexually at least.”

“Oh,” was all Gwen could say at first. This was good news to her. “It’s obvious he took it well since you’re still friends and currently living together.”

“As it turned out, he’s not straight either but he hadn’t come out yet at that point. We continued to date until we were ready to come out to our families and we’ve been best friends ever since,” said Morgana.

“How did your family take it?”

Morgana shifted in her seat, visibly uncomfortable with the question. “Sorry but you have to be a level nine friend to get my full tragic backstory. There isn’t really a short answer.”

“I’m sorry to bring it up,” Gwen said, looking away.

“It’s alright, Gwen. There’s no way you could have known. Over the years, I’ve surrounded myself with people who are accepting of me so I’m good now.”

“Well, you’ve got another person to add to that.” Gwen turned to look back at Morgana, feeling a bit nervous.

Morgana looked her in the eyes and smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Gwen continued to stare at Morgana, feeling like she wanted to say more but she couldn’t form the words. She quickly turned back to the movie before she could stare too long and make it awkward. “Enjoying the movie so far?”

“Oh yeah. I sort of vaguely remember watching this one when I was young.”

 

They fell into a comfortable silence after that as they continued to watch the movie. Gwen relaxed as little as she saw Morgana starting to enjoy the movie. It also helped knowing that Morgana was attracted to woman as well. Gwen tried to get ahead of herself as she thought there was still a possibility that she had a chance with Morgana in the future; if Morgana liked her back of course.

Gwen wondered if she should have said something earlier that she wasn’t straight either while they were on the subject. She didn’t want to just randomly announce she was bisexual so she would need to find a way to bring the topic back up or subtly sneak it into a conversation. Morgana was comfortable letting her know about her sexuality so Gwen could do the same.

That train of thought was cut short when Gwen’s stomach growled. She should have known crisps and popcorn would not have been enough. She paused the movie and looked at Morgana. “How does pizza sound?”

“I’m good with pizza. Pepperoni?”

“That’s good with me. I’ll go ahead and order it now. Maybe we’ll get it by the end of the movie.” Gwen grabbed her phone and dialed the local pizzeria. The long phone wait wasn’t a good sign but Gwen remembered it was a Saturday night so a lot of people must have had the same idea. Eventually she was able to give their order. “It’s going to be at a forty-five-minute wait which means we should be able to finish the movie by the time it arrives,” she said, putting her phone down on the coffee table.

“Sounds good to me.”

Gwen started the movie up again.

Morgana was glued to the TV as the credits started to roll. “How dare you get me into something I never thought I would like,” she said as the credits started.

“I did no such thing. I simply showed you the movie. You liked it all on your own,” Gwen said, happy knowing that Morgana liked it. She picked up her phone to check the time. “The pizza should be here soon. I’m going to grab some plates and more drinks.”

Gwen went into the kitchen to grab things and returned just in time for the buzzer to go off.

“Is it okay if I switch out the movies for the next one?” Morgana asked as they waited.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Soon there was a knock at the door and Gwen opened it to see the young delivery boy. She paid him and took the box, closing the door.

Morgana cleared spot on the table for the box as Gwen walked over. “I’m going to pay you back for this in some way.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Gwen said, sitting back on the couch.

Morgana shook her head. “I’m going to pay you back for the food and letting me stay here, Gwen, whether you want me to or not.”

“And I don’t think you should worry about it. Now, ready to watch _Empire Strikes Back_?”

“Let’s do it!” Morgana, grabbing a slice of pizza.

Gwen picked up the remote and started the movie.

 

They finished the movie and decided to call it a night there since it was close to midnight.

Gwen started clearing away the plates and pizza box. “Is there anything I can get you?” she asked.

“I think I’m good,” Morgana said, picking up the empty popcorn bowl and other trash off the table. “Is there a certain time I need to be out of here in the morning so you can go to work or class?”

“How did you know I was in school?” Gwen asked as they made their way into the kitchen.

“I’ve seen you carrying text books around.”

“Oh, right,” Gwen said, feeling dumb. “I’m on break at the moment so no classes or work tomorrow so there’s no rush for you to be out.” She put the leftover pizza in the fridge and set the plates in the sink.

Morgana put the bowl in the sink. “Okay good, because I want to take you to breakfast.”

“If you insist then.” Gwen let out a yawn. “I better get to bed before I fall asleep standing here. I hope the couch will be comfortable enough for you.”

“I’ll be fine. Thank you again for letting me stay here. Goodnight, Gwen.”

“Goodnight, Morgana.”

They went their separate ways, Gwen to her bedroom and Morgana back to the living room.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

December 13, 2015

 

Gwen awoke the next morning to the sun shining right in her face, and she groaned as she turned away from the window. She cracked her eyes open to check the time on the alarm clock. It was nearly ten. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept in this late - she was almost always up early. She thought about lying in bed for a few more minutes until she heard a noise in the living room.

Her eyes shot open as she realized someone was in her flat before it hit her that it was just Morgana. She stayed in bed for a couple more minutes before she got up to check on her guest. She glanced in her mirror to make sure her curly hair wasn’t a complete mess, running her fingers through it a few times, before deeming her appearance suitable.

Morgana was sitting up on the couch, stretching her arms above her head, when Gwen entered the room.

“Good morning. Did you sleep okay?” she asked.

Morgana turned her head to look at Gwen. “Yeah, I can’t complain too much. This couch is comfier than mine.”

“Glad to hear it wasn’t too bad then.”

“You still up for breakfast?” Morgana asked, hoping Gwen hadn’t changed her mind.

“Yes, that sounds really good right now.”

Morgana grinned. “Have you been to Mithian’s Café?”

“No, I’ve passed by it but haven’t had the chance to eat there.”

“Then that’s where we’re going. I think you’ll like it. Want to get dressed and we meet in the hallway in forty-five minutes? I need to get a shower before I head to work.” Morgana rose from the couch and started gathering up her stuff.

“Works for me.”

Gwen went back to her room to start getting ready as Morgana carried her stuff back over to her flat.

 

Her shared flat with Merlin was quiet as she entered. She saw Gwaine’s jacket tossed onto the back of the couch which meant he was still there and they were probably still asleep. Since she considerate and in a good mood, she quietly made her way around the flat to her room to drop off her stuff and head into the bathroom.

Morgana kept the shower short and hurried as she dried and styled her hair. She noticed it was getting time to shave the right side again. She would ask Merlin to do it later when they got home after work. After putting on some makeup, she returned to her room to get dressed. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t putting effort into her outfit just for Gwen. She wrote a quick note for Merlin, letting him know she’d see him at work before leaving.

Gwen was already waiting in the hallway for Morgana when she stepped out.

“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” Morgana said, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

“I was only out here for a couple of minutes, no worries!”

They started making their way down the hallway to stairs.

“So, what are you studying?” Morgana asked, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets.

“I am in graduate school studying Engineering.”

Morgana looked over at her amazed. “That’s awesome. How much longer do you have to go before you’re done?”

“I just started this fall so quite a while!

“I’m sure it will fly by for you. Now what does an Engineering student like to do for fun?” Since she now had the chance, Morgana wanted to get to know Gwen as much as she could.

“Well, if you didn’t think I was a nerd before you will now. I like to cosplay,” Gwen answered.

“Cosplay, huh? Who have you dressed up as?”

“My favorite one to do is Hermione. It’s always my go-to one for cons.”

“Do you have pictures?” Morgana asked, pushing the door open and holding it for Gwen.

“Yeah, I have some on my phone. I can show you once we get to the café,” Gwen said, smiling. She was always happy to share her hobby.

“Do you have anything new you’re working on?” Morgana asked, leading the way down the sidewalk.

“Elyan and I finally decided on something we want to do together which is Luke and Leia. So that’s the next project to start.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t done them already after what you told me last night.”

“Yeah, I’ve been saying we should do them for a while and we just decided on what costumes to do. So we’ll see how it fits into my schedule,” said Gwen.

 

They soon reached the café. There was a woman behind the counter with her blonde hair pulled into a messy bun who smiled at them as they entered.

“Hello, Elena, how are you today?” Morgana greeted as they stopped at the counter.

“I’m doing well. I see you brought someone with you today,” Elena said, glancing over at Gwen.

“Hi, I’m Gwen. I live across from Morgana. It’s nice to meet you,” Gwen said.

“It’s nice to meet you too. What can I get you ladies today?”

“Is it too late for breakfast food?” Morgana asked.

Elena glanced over at the clock on the wall. “You are a little late but I think Mithian would make an exception for you,” she said with a wink.

“Thank you so much.” Morgana glanced up at the menu behind Elena on the wall and pointed out the breakfast section to Gwen. “There’s all the breakfast items there. Other there is all the drink options. Elena makes the best coffee in town.”

Gwen looked over the menu, trying to decide on what to order, while it didn’t take Morgana long to pick and give her order to Elena. It was easy for her since she’d been there so often.

Gwen soon picked something. She waited while Morgana paid and then followed her to a table.

“I take it you know Mithian and Elena well or do you just come here that often?” Gwen asked once they were seated.

“Both. The three of us met in university and we’ve been friends since then but I love coming here.”

“It has a nice feel to it,” Gwen said, glancing around the room. “I really like the pictures they have.”

Morgana smiled. “You do?”

Gwen nodded.

Before Morgana could continue, Elena approached their table, setting their mugs in front of them.

“Here you go. Your food will be out shortly,” Elena said.

“Thanks, Elena,” Morgana said, picking up her mug.

 Gwen picked hers up and took a sip. “You haven’t told me yet what you do for a living?”

Morgana took a sip of her coffee and set the mug down. “I work at a tattoo shop as their receptionist for years now. Merlin works there too as an artist.’

“It must be fun working with your best friend.”

Morgana laughed. “It can be except for when I’m annoyed with him and still have to see him at home _and_ work. But I’m thankful to have the job. Gaius, the owner and Merlin’s uncle, owns the shop and was kind enough to give me the job when I had nothing.”

“Is that part of your tragic backstory?”

Morgana nodded. “It is.”

“Do you want to be a tattoo artist?” Gwen asked. Morgana certainly looked the part for it.

“No,” Morgana said, shaking her head. “I actually went to uni for photography. I do freelance work when I can get it along with doing all the portfolio pictures for the shop.”

Gwen looked around again at the pictures hanging on the walls. “Are those yours?”

Morgana smiled. “They are. Those are some early ones I did of the local area. It was right around the time Mithian was opening this place and she thought they would look good in here. So she insisted on buying them from me. I was more than happy to just give them to her but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Well, now I know who to go to when I want professional photos done of my cosplays,” Gwen said.

Morgana’s face lit up. “I would love to! I never thought about that as an option before.”

“I’ve never done it before because I never had the extra money for it but I’ve always wanted a few done in my favorite costumes.”

“Just let me know when you want to take them and we can set something up. Oh, you haven’t showed me your Hermione pictures!”

Gwen reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. “Here you go,” she said as she handed her phone over to Morgana with the picture folder open.

Morgana took the phone and began looking through the pictures. “Oh wow, you look incredible. Did you make the outfit yourself?”

“Yes for most of it. I like to make as much of it as I can so it looks accurate.” Gwen couldn’t help but smile as Morgana looked at the pictures. She was quite proud of that cosplay and liked seeing Morgana getting excited over it.

Morgana handed her the phone back right as Elena approached their table with their food in hand. She set the plates down in front of them.

“Is there anything else I can get you two?” she asked. Morgana and Gwen both replied with no. “Okay then, enjoy,” Elena said before walking away.

“I feel like I’m going to learn a lot about nerd culture by being your friend,” Morgana said as she began to eat.

“It is a side effect,” Gwen said, laughing. _And hopefully more than a friend,_ Gwen thought.  

 

They continued to talk as they ate. It surprised Gwen how easy it was for the conversation to flow between them. If she’d known it would have been this easy, she would have tried talking to Morgana months ago.

As they finished up their meal, Morgana checked the time on her phone. “I better run so I’m not late for work.” She rose from the table and started putting her jacket back on.

“Thank you for breakfast,” Gwen said, mimicking Morgana’s actions.

“You’re welcome, Gwen. We should plan up a time for us to continue our Star Wars marathon. You’ve got me hooked now. Let me give you my number,” Morgana said.

Gwen pulled her phone back out and typed in the number she gave her. She sent a quick text to Morgana so that she’d have her number. “And now you have mine. Text me when you’re free,” she said as they made their way to the door.

They exited the café and stood there by the door, neither one of them wanting to be the first to leave.

“Looks like this is where we part. I’ll see you later, Gwen.”

“See ya.” Gwen gave her a small wave.

Morgana turned and walked down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. Gwen watched her for a moment before making her way back to her flat.

Morgana arrived at Albion’s Tattoo Shop just before noon. She hoped Gaius wouldn’t be too mad at her as she was rarely late. As she entered, she saw Merlin sitting behind the counter.

“Where were you last night? You didn’t say in your note,” he said.

“I’m surprised you noticed I was gone with Gwaine over,’’ she replied, walking toward the counter. “Get out of my chair.”

Merlin jumped up and sat instead on the counter as she set her bag on the floor. “I stayed the night with Gwen and then we went out to breakfast this morning.”

“The same Gwen that lives across the hall that you’ve had a crush on for months?”

Morgana sighed, not ready for his teasing. “Yes, Merlin. The same Gwen.”

Merlin grinned at her as he crossed his arms against his chest. “So, what did you two get up to last night? Give me the details.”

Morgana gave him a shove. “Nothing like that happened. We barely know each other.”

“What did you do then?”

“We watched a couple of Star Wars movies and then I crashed on her couch.”

Merlin shook his head. “That’s not what I was expecting at all.”

Morgana pulled out the appointment book to see what was going on for the day. “Me neither but I had a good time.”

“I didn’t think you even liked Star Wars.”

Morgana shrugged. “I didn’t but Gwen really likes it. After watching them I realized they aren’t as bad as I thought they were.”

Merlin was interrupted from asking another question by Gaius entering the room.

“Don’t we have shop to run?” he asked, walking toward the front door and turning on the open sign.

Merlin immediately hopped off the counter and went over to his station to start preparing for the next appointment.  

“How are you today, Gaius?” Morgana asked, smiling up at the old man as he walked toward her.

He smiled back at her. “I’m fine. The new intern Mordred will be stopping by today to finish filling out some paperwork. Let me know when he arrives.”

“Will do.”

Gaius nodded without saying another word and made his way over to speak to Merlin.

Morgana began her morning routine of checking the appointments and made a list of the people she needed to call to confirm their appointments later in the week. The whole time she couldn’t stop thinking about Gwen.

“Hey Morgana,” Merlin asked as Gaius made his way back to his office. “Are you still coming to the show tonight? Gwaine was wondering if you could get a few new shots of them.”

Morgana groaned. She completely forgot that Gwaine’s band was having a show tonight. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, I’ll let him know.”

Morgana was going to need some more coffee to get through this day and show that evening.

 

Gwen’s day was more relaxing since she didn’t have much to do. She straightened up the living room and finished cleaning from the night before. She kept thinking about how much fun she had the previous night and was glad her geekiness hadn’t scared Morgana away.

Around two o’clock, Elyan came over.

“Sorry about cancelling last night,” he said as he entered the flat.

“It’s okay,” Gwen said, giving her brother a hug. “I ended up having unexpected company so it all worked out.”

“Oh really? Who was it?”

“My neighbor Morgana needed a place to spend the night and we ended up watching some movies.”

Elyan looked at his sister, trying to remember who Morgana was. “You mean the woman across the hall with all the piercings and tattoos?”

Gwen nodded. “That’s Morgana.” She turned and started walking to the kitchen. “Do you want anything?”

“Water is fine,” he said as he followed her. “I didn’t realize you two were friends.”

Gwen handed him a bottle of water. “We really weren’t friends before last night but it looks like we are starting to be now.” She grabbed a drink for herself.

“So you just let someone you don’t know sleep on your couch? What if you woke up and all of your stuff was stolen?”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Then I would have known exactly who had taken it. I know you’re just being protective of me, Elyan, but I can take care of myself. And it’s not like we’re total strangers. We’ve spoken a few times it the hall.” She walked past him and over to the living room, with him following behind her. “Now, are we going to watch Star Wars or are you going to keep questioning me about last night?”

“I’m just being the concerned, older brother right now,” Elyan said as he sat down on the couch.

Gwen set her drink down and started turning the TV on. “I know you are. If I wasn’t comfortable with it, I would have told her no.” Gwen put the movie in and walked over to the couch, sitting down. “Now, no more talking about last night while we watch.”

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

December 19, 2015

 

Over the following week, Morgana and Gwen made their way their way through the rest of the Star Wars movies. It became a regular thing for Morgana to come over after work and watch a movie as they ate. The first night she came over, she was surprised they didn’t pick up back up with Episode VI and instead watched Episode I.

“Trust me, this is the way to watch it,” Gwen explained.

“You know best,” Morgana replied.

By the time they finished the remaining movies, Morgana was ready to see the newest one.

Gwen was cleaning up the Chinese take away containers when Morgana asked, “I’m sure your answer will be yes, but do you want to go see _The Force Awakens_ with me?”

“Oh yes! I’m so ready to see it again,” Gwen answering, flashing her a huge grin. Any excuse to go see the movie again was fine by her. Seeing it with Morgana was just a bonus.

“Wonderful. I’ll check my schedule and let you know. How’s that?”

“Works for me.” Gwen carried the empty containers to the kitchen to throw them away. She sat back down on the couch, turning to face Morgana. “I’m really glad you like the movies.”

“They’ve been surprisingly great. I’ve enjoyed them as well as spending the time with you.”

Gwen felt her cheeks up when Morgana smiled at her. “I like hanging out with you too. You’re not as scary as you look,” she joked.

Morgana laughed. “That’s good to know.” She checked the time on her phone. “I better head back to my flat. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow. I don’t know why Gaius couldn’t wait until after the holidays to start this new apprentice. It’s been so crazy around there.”

“Just let me know when you’re free for the movie.”

“I will.” Despite not wanting to leave, Morgana pushed herself off the couch. She grabbed her boots and headed for the door, closing the door behind her as she left.

Gwen soon followed to lock the door. Her phone buzzed with a text message from Elyan.

[Elyan: _We still on for lunch tomorrow?_ ]

[Gwen: _Yes. See you there._ ]

She quickly finished tidying up and headed to bed.

 

Morgana entered her flat, dropping her boots by the door. Merlin looked up at her from the couch.

“Oh my, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you,” he said.

“We saw each other at work a few hours ago,” Morgana said, walking over to the couch. She knocked his feet onto the floor and dropped down.

“I’ve hardly seen you the past week after work. It’s not the same coming home and you’re not here,” he said as he sat to sit in a more comfortable position now that he couldn’t stretch out.

“Aww, is someone jealous that I have a new friend?”

“Maybe,” Merlin replied, turning back to face the TV.

“Are you really?” Morgana didn’t think he could be serious about it. Yes they were best friends but it’s not like they didn’t have other friends.

Merlin glanced at her. “No, not really. You’re free to have other friends. I just didn’t realize how much time you would spend across the hall with Gwen.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about it. We’re just going through the rest of the movies. We’re going to go see the new Star Wars this week.”

Merlin chuckled. “You’re turning into a nerd. I love it.”

“I said I liked Star Wars. That doesn’t make me a nerd,” she said, giving his shoulder a shove.

“Whatever you say,” he laughed. “Are you going to keep hanging out with her?”

“Of course I am.”

“Are you going to ask her out?”

Morgana huffed. “Yeah, maybe. I’m just trying to get to know her first and see if that’s even an option first before I get my hopes up.”

Merlin nodded. “Would you like some advice?”

“From you? No. I’ll be good, thanks.”

Merlin threw his hands up. “Suit yourself. I was just offering, trying to help out my best friend. Just remember you turned me down you come to me later, asking what you should do. I won’t help you then.”

Morgana rolled her eyes but smiled at her friend. “Whatever you say, Merlin. I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” he said as she made her way back to her room.

 

*

 

December 20, 2015

 

It was Sunday morning and Gwen made her way to the usual restaurant they went to for their weekly lunches. Elyan was already seated at a table when she arrived He rose from his chair and gave her a quick one armed hug before she sat down.

“Everything going well?” she asked, not having spoken to her brother in a few days.

“Nothing to complain about. I talked to father this morning. He wanted to see what time we were heading to his house on Christmas Eve,” Elyan replied.

A waiter soon arrived to take their order and was on his way.

“Oh, good. I’ve been meaning to call him. What time did you tell him?”

“I said we’d be there late afternoon so I’ll pick you up around one or a little after that.”

“That’ll be good. Do you have your presents ready or are you waiting til the last minute again?”

She grinned up at him. She finished all of her shopping weeks ago and already had most of them wrapped.

Elyan rolled his eyes at the dig. “I just need to pick up one more thing, which I’m doing right after lunch. That’s not waiting til the last minute,” he quickly added when he saw the look she was giving him.

“If you say so,” she said. She felt her phone vibrate and picked it up so see a text from Morgana.

[Morgana: _How about tomorrow night at 7?_ ]

Gwen smiled down at her phone as responded.

[Gwen: _Sounds perfect_ ]

[Morgana: See you then :)]

Gwen set her phone and glanced up to see Elyan staring at her.

“Who’s got you smiling so much?”

“Morgana and I are going to see _The Force Awakens_ tomorrow night. She was confirming the day with me.”

“Oh really? So you two have been spending more time together?”

“Yeah, she’s been coming over to watch the rest of the movies with me. It’s been really fun. We finished them last night and she asked if I wanted to see the new one with her.”

Elyan was quiet for a moment. “Is this like a date?”

Gwen opened her mouth to say “no” but quickly closed it. She hadn’t really thought about it. Was this a date? Had Morgana picked up on her attraction to women? “I don’t know. She didn’t say it was. Do you think it’s a date?”

Elyan shrugged. “Do you want it to be?”

Gwen thought “yes” but instead said, “Maybe. I’ve been out of dating for so long, I forgot what it was like to flirt and go on dates.”

“Well, if it’s something that you want, go for it.”

Gwen wasn’t expecting that. He hadn’t seemed that okay with Morgana so she wasn’t expecting him to approve of them possibly dating. “So, you don’t have a problem with Morgana?”

“I honestly don’t have much of an opinion on her since I haven’t properly met her, but you have a good judge of character when it comes to people. You’re an adult and I trust your decision.”

Gwen couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Elyan.”

“Of course, sis,” he said.

Their waiter soon returned with their food and their conversation continued onto other topics as they ate.

 

*

December 21, 2015

 

The following day, Gwen tried to not think about if seeing the movie was date. This was all Elyan’s fault for bringing it up at lunch. She shouldn’t have told him anything about Morgana.

When it was getting close to time for the movie, Gwen made her way to the cinema to wait for Morgana to get off work. She kept checking the time and realized Morgana would be cutting it close if she didn’t hurry up. She eventually received a text from Morgana saying she was running late but would be there soon. Gwen was worried she wouldn’t get there in time and waited to buy her ticket, just in case they needed later showing.

They had less than ten minutes before show time when Gwen saw Morgana hurrying towards her.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. Let’s get tickets and I’ll tell you about it later,” she said.

“It’s all right. We should still have time,” Gwen said as they made their way to the ticket booth.

They bought their tickets and quickly headed to the theater. The seats they got weren’t the best but they could have been worse. Before the trailers started, Morgana leaned over and asked, “Do you want to get dinner after this?”

“That would be great,” Gwen said. As Morgana leaned away, Gwen fell back to her earlier dilemma about whether or not this was a date.

 

Once the movie was over, the pair made their way to a nearby restaurant to eat. Along the way, Morgana explained why she was late.

“Mondays aren’t usually this bad which is why I thought I could easily make it to the movie but having a new worker can make things a little difficult when they’re still learning,” Morgana said.

“It’s quite alright. No need to feel bad about it. You still got there in time,” Gwen said, giving her a smile.

“Thanks, Gwen.”

As they approached the restaurant, Morgana grabbed the door and held it open for Gwen. Once inside, they didn’t have to wait too long to be seated.

“What did you think of the movie?” Gwen asked as they waited for their server.

“It was incredible! I’m so ready for the next one.”

“Now the wait begins. You get to join in my suffering.” Gwen laughed.

“I guess we’ll have to find something else to watch to pass the time.”

Gwen nodded and said, “I hadn’t thought about that but yeah, we’ll need to find something else to do when we hang out.”

“I’m sure we’ll find something.”

Gwen smiled. “I’m just glad to know you weren’t just using me to get to my Star Wars collection.”

“Oh, that was my initial reason but I realized how much I enjoyed spending time with you,” said Morgana. Despite the joke, she was serious about the last part. She definitely wanted to keep seeing Gwen.

“Good to know. Maybe we can find something for after Christmas?”

Before Morgana could answer, their server approached to take their order. Neither of them had looked at their menu since they’d been talking so they quickly picked something and the server was on his way.

“What are you doing for Christmas?” Morgana asked once they were alone again.

“Elyan and I are going to our dad’s house on Christmas Eve and will be there for a couple of days to visit. What about you?”

“That sounds great. Merlin and I are going to his mum’s that day then we’ll be back a few days later.”

Gwen remembered what Morgana had said about her family situation when they first met and hadn’t expected her to go see them for the holidays so she was glad she had a place to go. “I hope you have a good time.”

“Thanks. It usually is. I’ve spent Christmas with Merlin and his mum every year since I was kicked out. Hunith became like the mother I never had.” Morgana was very fortunate to have Merlin and his mother. She didn’t know where she’d be without them.

“I’m glad you have a place to call home.” Gwen was curious to know about Morgana’s past but it would be rude to ask. She hoped one day the other woman would feel comfortable enough to share it with her one day.

After that, Morgana brought the conversation back to a more neutral and comfortable topic. She didn’t want to bring down the mood with her family problems. “When do classes start back for you?”

“Early January. So just a little bit of free time before it’s all gone.”

“Bummer.”

“But I’ll still have some time to hang out. We’ll just need to plan ahead so I can fit it into my schedule.”

Morgana grinned. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

 

Living in the same building made going home much easier for Morgana and Gwen. As they separated to go their doors, Gwen turned back to face Morgana. “In case I don’t see you over the next couple of days, have a safe trip.”

Morgana turned to face Gwen and replied, “You too, Gwen. Goodnight.” Morgana unlocked her door and entered.

“Goodnight,’ Gwen said as she did the same, and closed her door.

Gwen leaned against the back of her door. While nothing was explicitly stated, she felt more confident in the thought that Morgana liked her.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of December flew by for Gwen and before she knew it, it was almost time for the new semester to begin. She was looking forward to getting back into the swing of classes but she was a little sad at the loss of her free time. Especially since that meant she wouldn’t get to hang out with Morgana as much as she wanted.

It was the weekend before classes began and Gwen was spending her last free Saturday with Morgana at a concert. All Gwen knew about the band was that Merlin’s boyfriend was in it, not even what sort of music it would be.

Morgana knocked on her door when it was time to leave. Her eyes widened when she saw Gwen and she smiled. “You look lovely this evening.” Morgana thought Gwen always looked good even if she was just in sweatpants but tonight she looked really beautiful.

Gwen blushed at Morgana’s compliment. “Thank you,” she said, sliding her coat on and shouldering her purse. She pulled the door closed behind her and locked it. She looked at Morgana’s entire black ensemble and released how different they looked. “Is what I’m wearing okay?” she asked, slowly regretting her wardrobe choice.

“There’s nothing wrong with what you’re wearing although you may stand out a little bit,” Morgana replied. Okay, she might stand out a lot. “But no one is going to say anything to you, especially with me around.”

Gwen glanced down at her dress one last time before deciding she would be okay. She didn’t want to make them late by changing. “Alright, I guess we better get going. Is Merlin coming?” She was surprised Morgana’s friend wasn’t already there with them.

“He’s already there. He went early with Gwaine,” said Morgana. Usually she went early as well to keep Merlin company while the band set up but she wanted the chance to spend some time alone with Gwen on the way. She knew once they were there they wouldn’t get much time to really talk. “You ready to go?”

Gwen nodded and they started down the hall. Once outside the building, Morgana hailed a taxi and gave the driver the location.

“Normally I wouldn’t mind the walk but it’s a bit too cold tonight,” she explained.

There was light conversation during the ride. Gwen was excited they were doing something Morgana loved. Since they normally did things Gwen liked, this was something new. She would get to see Morgana out enjoying herself and Gwen was happy to see that. She listened to Morgana tell her about work.

It wasn’t a long drive and they soon arrived at the venue, The Rising Sun. Morgana exited the taxi first and offered her hand to Gwen.

Gwen smiled up at Morgana and slid her hand into hers. She didn’t need Morgana’s help out of the taxi but she would use it as an excuse to hold her hand. Morgana continued to hold her hand even after Gwen stepped out and the taxi pulled away from the curb. But she let go once they started to head toward the door.

Morgana covered Gwen to get in.

“I could have paid for myself,” Gwen said as they made their way to the coat check station.

Morgana shrugged one shoulder. “I know but I didn’t mind since I invited you.”

After they handed out their coats, Gwen noticed a couple of odd looks she got from the surrounding people. They all dressed in a similar fashion to Morgana.

Morgana noticed the looks as well and she glared at a couple of the people as she slung her arm around Gwen’s shoulders. Gwen glanced at Morgana but didn’t protest. “Let’s go and find Merlin,” Morgana said.

She led the way through the pub toward the bar area where Merlin was perched on a stool, back against the bar with his elbows resting on the edge of it. He turned toward them as they approached and waved. He raised an eyebrow at Morgana as he slid off the stool to give her a hug.

Morgana removed her arm from Gwen and gave Merlin a quick hug. “Don’t say a word,” she whispered into his ear. Merlin had already teased her enough about inviting Gwen tonight and she did not want him doing it in front of her.

Merlin smirked as he pulled away and Morgana saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. She hoped he would behave himself tonight.

Merlin turned to Gwen and gave her a warm smile. “I know we’ve lived across the hall from each other for months but it’s nice to formally make your acquaintance. I’m Merlin, it’s nice to meet you, Gwen.”

Gwen offered her hand as she said, “It’s nice to properly meet you as well. I’ve heard a lot about you from Morgana.”

“Friends don’t shake hands, friends hug,” Merlin said as he ignored her hand and pulled her into a one arm hugged.

Morgana rolled her eyes but was glad to see Merlin accepting Gwen.

“Anyone want a drink?” Merlin asked as he pulled away.

“I’ll definitely take something,” Morgana said, stepping up to the bar. “Want anything, Gwen?”

“Maybe a little something would be nice,” Gwen replied. She stepped up next to Morgana and waited as she flagged down the bartender.

Merlin sat back down on the stool as they waited for their drinks. The bartender talked with Morgana for a few minutes after serving them their drinks, leaving Gwen to sit there quietly on the stool next to Merlin.

“Morgana tells me you’re studying Engineering. How’s that going?” Merlin said, looking at Gwen.

Gwen nodded and answered, “It’s going well though I am ready to be done with school. I’ve still got a way to go if I decide to get my Ph. D.”

“I liked school but not enough to stay in it that long,” Merlin replied. “I admire your dedication.”

“Some days I don’t know why I’m doing it, but it’ll be worth it in the end. How long have you been tattooing?” Gwen asked.

“Since I was 18. I did a little bit of art school before going into it full time at my uncle’s shop. He’s part of the reason I decide to pursue it. I spent a lot of time with him growing up and fell in love with the world of tattooing from a young age,” Merlin said.

“That’s great to be able to do something that you love.”

“Yeah but of course my mom wasn’t too happy at first. She would support me in whatever I decided to do but I think she just wanted more out of me,” he said.

“Does she still feel that way now? You’ve been doing it for what, like six or seven years now?” Gwen asked.

Merlin nodded. “She’s completely fine with it now after she saw how good I was at it. She’s been wanting me to give her a tattoo but I’ve been putting it off to make sure it’s something she really wants and not just a whim.”

“Have you had to deal with a lot of those?” Gwen asked.

“Oh yeah. You won’t believe how many drunk customers we get showing up trying to get one. We turn them away of course,” Merlin said. “One time I thought I was going to get decked for refusing this bloke.”

Gwen’s eyes widened as she looked at Merlin. He was a pretty scrawny guy and it didn’t look like it would take much to knock him down. “Oh my, what happened?”

Merlin smiled at her concern. “Ah, it was nothing. Despite my appearance, I’m quite capable of taking care of myself. Between me and Gaius, we were able to send him on his way.”

“That’s good. I never thought out something like that happening.”

“Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?” Merlin asked.

It was at that moment that Morgana joined their conversation as the bartender left to tend to another patron. “Who’s getting a tattoo?” she asked, only catching the last part of Merlin’s question.

“Just asking if Gwen ever thought about it,” Merlin replied.

Morgana’s eyes fell on Gwen with interest.

“I never really thought about getting one before. I don’t even know what I would get,” Gwen answered.

“If you’re ever interested, let me know and we can work something out,” Merlin said.

“Thanks,” Gwen said. She would definitely keep that in mind.

More people started to fill in the area in front of the stage as the three of them sat at the bar with their drinks.

“We should probably head over to try and get a close spot to the stage,” Merlin said, checking the time on his phone. It was nearing the start of the set.

Morgana sipped the rest of her glass and set it down on the bar. “Alright, let’s go then.” She slid off her stool and glanced over at Gwen. “Stick close to me and no one will mess with you. If you need a break from the crowd let me know and we can step out. It can get a little intense sometimes.”

Gwen nodded as she stood up. She stayed close to Morgana and Merlin moved to her other side, keeping any strangers from getting too close to her. Gwen appreciated it though it wasn’t completely necessary. She wasn’t afraid to be around any of the other concert goers. Once they pushed their way through the crowd close to the stage, Merlin positioned himself behind Morgana and Gwen since he was taller but also to act as a buffer from the people behind them.

But after the first band stepped out and started playing, Gwen was glad Morgana and Merlin were close when the crowd unexpectedly rushed forward. It had been a while since she’d been to a concert.

The first band wasn’t too bad but Gwen could tell Morgana and Merlin weren’t too into the set.

“Are they new?” Morgana asked as the band stepped off stage.

“Yeah, this is their second time playing here,” Merlin replied. “What did you think of them?”

Morgana shrugged. “They were alright.”

Merlin hummed in agreement.

“I didn’t think they were too bad,” Gwen said even though she didn’t have much of a comparison.

Morgana and Merlin exchanged looks before grinning.

“Gwen, my sweet child, we’re going to have to introduce you to some good music,” Merlin said as he leaned forward and drape his arm over her shoulder. “Like take for instance _The Knights of Camelot._ That’s who you should listen to.”

“Don’t listen to him, Gwen. He’s completely biased since he’s sleeping with the guitarist,” Morgana joked.

“Doesn’t mean I still don’t have ears and know good music when I hear it,” Merlin shot back, elbowing her in the side.

“I’m just speaking the truth,” Morgana said, winking.

Merlin stuck his tongue out at her, making Gwen chuckle.

After a twenty-minute wait, the next band stepped on stage to a loud welcome from the audience. Morgana and Merlin yelled, the latter being especially loud, and Gwen guessed this was Gwaine’s band. They certainly seemed to be a fan favorite with the reaction they got before even playing yet. Gwen recognized the man she assumed was Gwaine walk up to the microphone in front of them with a guitar slung across his chest. She remembered seeing him come and go from the flat across from her.

Without an introduction, the band started right into a song. The crowd around Gwen went crazy with movement. Merlin sang along behind her and Morgana moved to the beat and soon, Gwen couldn’t help but do the same.

The thirty-minute set was over sooner than Gwen expected it to be. Once the band was off stage, Morgana gently grabbed Gwen’s arm and the three of them made their way out of the crowd.

“So, what did you think?” Merlin asked once they were back toward the bar.

“They were really good,” Gwen replied.

Merlin smiled. “You have some good taste after all,” he said.

They continued to talk by the bar as they waited and eventually were joined by Gwaine. He greeted Merlin with a kiss before pulling Morgana in a hug.

“I’m glad you guys came tonight, especially you Morgana since you’ve missed the last couple of ones,” Gwaine said.

“Sorry I was busy,” she replied.

“Sure you were,” Gwaine said. His eyes then fell on Gwen. “You seem familiar. Have we met before?” he asked her.

“I’m Gwen. I live across the hall from Morgana and Merlin,” she said and extended her hand.

Gwaine chuckled as he swung his arm around Gwen’s shoulders for a quick hug instead of shaking her hand.

“Should have warned you he’s a big hugger, Gwen,” Morgana said.

Gwaine pulled away smiling. “It’s nice to properly make your acquaintance. I hope you enjoyed the show.”

Gwen nodded. “I did,” she said.

Morgana smiled to herself. She thought it was adorable how earnest Gwen was about it when she knew this wasn’t her scene.

“That’s good to hear,” Gwaine replied.

The bartender approached and set a glass down of whiskey in front of Gwaine without being asked. “Thanks, mate,” Gwaine said as the bartender walked away. He picked up the glass and took a sip. “So, where to next?”

 

It was after one AM by the time Morgana and Gwen stumbled up the stairs to their flats. They each had a little more to drink than they’d intended. Merlin and Gwaine were still out doing who knows what but the girls called it an early night.

“I’m sorry for keeping you out so late. I should have known Gwaine would want visit some pubs after the show,” Morgana said as they reached their floor.

“It’s okay,” Gwen said. She started pulling her keys out of her purse. “It was my last night of freedom before classes start.”

“I hope Gwaine wasn’t too much of a bother. He can be a little much to handle when drunk,” Morgana said as they walked down the hallway.

“He wasn’t so bad,” Gwen replied.

They reached their doors and came to a stop. Morgana glanced over at Gwen. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I had a lot of fun,” she said.

“I did too.” Gwen was surprised by how much fun she had that night. Spending time with Morgana was always enjoyable but Merlin and Gwaine made nice company as well.  “Maybe we should do it again sometime?” she asked.

Morgana’s face lit up. “I’d like that,” she replied with a smile.

Her eyes glanced down at Gwen’s lips for a moment before meeting her gaze again. As much as she really wanted to kiss Gwen right now, neither of them were sober enough for this. If they were going to kiss, Morgana wanted it to be when they both in full control of their actions and wanted it. Although she’d wanted this for a long time, Morgana wasn’t going to give into it tonight.

Before Morgana could do anything she’d regret in the morning, she said, “Goodnight, Gwen.”

Gwen looked at her for a beat then smiled. “Goodnight, Morgana.” She turned and unlocked her door.

Morgana watched her enter her flat before she turned to her own door and pulled out her keys. She stepped into the dark, quiet flat and didn’t even bother to turn on the lights. She dropped her keys and purse by the door before shrugging off her coat. Morgana made her way to her bedroom, ready to sleep the instant she fell into bed.

As she laid there, staring up at the ceiling, she realized how far gone in love she was with the girl across the hall. It was time she stopped dragging her feet and asked her out before it was too late.


	5. Chapter 5

April 2016

 

The convention was less than a month away and Gwen still had not finished her Princess Leia dress. Nothing was even sewed together yet. Schoolwork was really cutting into her cosplaying time. Not to mention school took away her time with Morgana. Between her classes, homework and work study hours and Morgana’s work schedule, there was hardly time to devote to hanging out. Their time together became Morgana hanging out at Gwen’s flat while she worked on her photography and Gwen did homework or worked on her costume.

But even if they didn’t talk much and sat in comfortable silence, it was still time well spent together. Morgana loved watching Gwen twirl a curl around her finger as she read from her textbook or how she mumbled to herself as she tried working through a difficult equation. She still wanted to ask Gwen on a proper date but she didn’t want to become a distraction for her. Gwen had a lot on her plate and Morgana didn’t want to take time away from her busy schedule.

So, she held back.

It was late on a Monday night as Morgana sat on Gwen’s bed while Gwen sat at her sewing machine. Morgana was reading her _Princess Leia_ comics and was definitely _not_ going to let Merlin know she was reading comics. She was only reading them at Gwen’s suggestion and that was all. She was not about to pick up some superhero comic or anything like that.

“How do you like the comics? Gwen asked keeping her eyes on the machine.

Morgana glanced over at her and replied, “I’m really like them. It’s nice to see a story focusing on Leia.”

“I wish they would do more. Five issues are not enough. I need more adventures of her and Evaan together. They make such a cute pair,” Gwen said.

Morgana nodded even though Gwen couldn’t see her. “I really like her too. Is it just me or would they make a cute, badass couple?”

Gwen glanced back her, surprised by Morgana’s question. She didn’t think she’d get that into the comic. “I completely agree with you on that.”

Morgana smiled as a thought popped into her head but she decided to keep it to herself for a moment. “Does she only appear here?” she asked instead.

“Sadly yes.” Gwen pulled the dress off the machine and turned around, holding it up to inspect it. “What do you think?” she asked.

“It finally has sleeves!” said Morgana. “Now it’s starting to look like Princess Leia’s dress.”

Gwen smiled at her before looking back at the dress. All her hard work was finally paying off. “I’m going to try in on really quick to make sure it all fits right.”

She rose from her chair and carefully flipped it right side out before making her way to the bathroom. She was excited to finally try it on and start seeing how she looked in it. Once in the bathroom, she quickly striped from her clothes and slipped on the dress. The fit was good and was a relief to Gwen. She smoothed out the white fabric and looked at herself in the mirror. So far it looked good but she needed to see herself in her full length mirror to really know how it looked.

Morgana glanced up from the comic as Gwen reentered the room. She felt her mouth hang open a little as she gazed at Gwen, taken aback by how beautiful she looked in the dress. “You look amazing,” she said, meeting Gwen’s gaze.

Gwen blushed at Morgana’s words. “Really? I’ve still got some work to do on it before it’s finished but I think it did turn out well.”

Morgana nodded. “You’re going to be the best damn Leia cosplayer ever.”

That only seemed to make Gwen blush even more. “Thanks, Morgana. I’ve been a bit nervous to goes as her.”

Morgana’s brow creased as she frowned. “How come?”

Gwen shrugged and dropped her gaze. “Some people get quite particular about who should cosplay certain characters because of skin tone.”

Morgana didn’t say anything as she set the comic down and slid off the bed. She walked over to Gwen reached out to cup her cheek. She gently raised her chin up so that she could look her in the eyes as she said, “Don’t worry about what those arseholes have to say. You do this for yourself and don’t pay attention to that nonsense. They’re just jealous of how good you look dressed up.”

A smile slowly spread across Gwen’s face. Even though she tried to remind herself of that, it was nice to hear it come from Morgana. Having her support meant the world to her. “Thank you, Morgana.”

“Anytime,” she replied.

Morgana’s hand lingered on Gwen as she absentmindedly stroked her cheek with her thumb. Gwen leaned into the touch and didn’t want her to stop. Morgana found herself looking at Gwen’s lips again and she met her gaze, she saw that Gwen was looking at her with wide eyes. She’d been caught.

“Sorry,” Morgana said as she started to pull her hand away but Gwen stopped her.

“It’s okay,” Gwen said softly as she blushed again.

Morgana gazed back, her eyes dropping again to Gwen’s lips. “May I?” she asked.

“Yes,” Gwen replied without any hesitation, already leaning into Morgana.

Morgana met her halfway as their lips met. Gwen’s lips were just as soft as Morgana thought they would be. She moved her hand from Gwen’s cheek to run through her hair as she angled her head to deepen the kiss. Gwen seemed so eager, and this was everything Morgana hoped it would be.

Soon, Morgana slowly pulled away, leaving just a little space between their faces so that she could look at Gwen.

“I know this sounds so juvenile but, would you like to be my girlfriend?” Morgana asked.

“I thought you’d never ask,” replied Gwen.

Morgana chuckled. “Is that a yes then?”

Gwen nodded. “Definitely.”

“Was I that obvious about it?” Morgana asked.

“A little but Merlin and Gwaine mentioned it to be that night we went to the concert,” she said.

“Wait, when did that happen?” Morgana knew she couldn’t have been that drunk to not remember that.

Gwen thought for a second before saying, “It was when we were at one of the pubs and you had to go the loo.”

Morgana shook her head. She couldn’t believe her friends went behind her back like that. “You’ve known since then and haven’t said anything?”

Gwen dropped her gaze to the side. “I wanted to hear from you yourself first. Not that I thought they were making it up but I didn’t want to get my hopes up until I heard it from you.”

While Morgana was going to get Merlin and Gwaine back from telling Gwen before her, she was glad it at all worked out for the best. “So, now that we’re together, I have this idea for a cosplay I wanted to ask you about.”

 

*

May 2016

 

The day of the convention finally arrived. That evening once Gwen was done with classes and Morgana off from work, Elyan met them at their flat to drive them there in his car. They had a hotel room booked for the three of them at the same place as the con which made it easier for them.

“I hope you all have fun,” Merlin said as he went down to the sidewalk with them. “Maybe I’ll join you for the next one to see what all the fuss is about.”

“That would be great. We’d have such a fun time together,” Gwen said as she loaded her suitcase into the boot of Elyan’s car.

“Just remember I’ll be back on Sunday evening so please, don’t the two of you destroy the flat while I’m gone,” Morgana said to Merlin. “And reframe from having sex on the couch or anywhere in the shared spaces. I’ll know if you’ve done it or not.”

Merlin chuckled. “I’m not some sex fiend, Morgana,” he protested.

“Your boyfriend begs to differ,” she replied.

“Why do you have to shame us like this in front of everyone?” Merlin asked and gave her an exasperated look.

“Public humiliation always does the trick,” Morgana said, slipped her suitcase in next to Gwen’s. She turned back to Merlin and gave him a hug. “Don’t let the shop burn down without me there to keep it running. Love you, Merlin. I’ll see you soon.”

“Can’t make any promises there. Take lots of photos. Love you, too,” he said as she pulled away.

“Let’s get this show on the road!” Elyan said, closing the boot.

Merlin waved as they climbed into the car. Morgana was careful with her camera bag as she slid into the back seat. Gwen took the front passenger seat.

“Next stop, London Comic Con!” Gwen exclaimed.

“To London Comic Con!” Elyan and Morgana cheered.

 

After they arrived and checked into their hotel room, everyone set about laying their costumes out for the next day, checking them over to make sure everything was still intact. Gwen was always worried something would get damaged while traveling, even if they didn’t go very far.

“You excited?” Gwen asked Morgana.

“Yes, I am. I also can’t wait to see all the other people dressed up as well,” she replied. “I’m glad you told me to bring my business cards. Do you think people would really be interested?”

“For sure. A lot of cosplayers would love to have their pictures professionally done. I think it would be good for you to give it a shot,” said Gwen.

Morgana smiled and nodded. She really wanted to get her photography going and this may be her way to achieve it.

After going out to dinner that night, the three of them turned in early for the night since they had a busy day ahead of them. Elyan took one bed for himself while Gwen and Morgana took the other.

Gwen felt a little nervous as she slid underneath the covers and looked over at Morgana, who was leaning against the headboard as she looked at her phone. They had only been dating for about a month now and hadn’t moved passed kissing. Now they were sharing a bed together. It wasn’t that Gwen was expecting anything to happen, especially since her brother was right there in the room, but this was new. What if she did something embarrassing during the night like snoring really loud?

She told herself she was being ridiculous. They were innocently sharing a bed.

Morgana set her phone on the nightstand and turned to Gwen. She gave her a smile as she leaned over and kissed Gwen on the temple. “Goodnight, Gwen.”

“Goodnight,” she replied.

 

 

The next morning, Gwen, Morgana and Elyan rushed around the small hotel to get in their costumes for the day. There wasn’t much being said as each of them focused on getting ready.

Gwen was sitting in front of the mirror, adjusting her wig, when she saw Morgana step out of the bathroom in the reflection. She paused for a moment as she gazed at her girlfriend.

Morgana caught her staring and smiled. “How do I look?” she asked. As Gwen turned to face her, she slowly spinning around so Gwen could see the whole costume she had helped make.

“You look amazing,” Gwen replied, smiling. “You actually look really good as a blonde.”

Morgana scrunched her face up as she said, “You think so?” She crossed the room to Gwen and looked into the mirror. “It’s certainly different.”

“My sister would probably like you with any hair color no matter what,” Elyan added.

“I like it,” Gwen reaffirmed, ignoring her brother.

Morgana chuckled. “Thank you, Gwen. I can’t wait for Merlin to see me like this. He’ll flip out.”

“We’ll have to make sure we get some pictures of you then, Ms. Photographer,” Gwen said, turning back to the mirror to finish pinning on her wig. She did not want this thing coming loose.

“Don’t worry, I definitely want some pictures of us together today. You as well, Elyan,” Morgana said as looked over at him. “I want a good picture of us in our cosplays together.”

Gwen rose from the chair and smoothed out the front of her dress, giving herself a once over in the mirror, before turning to Morgana. “Then we better get a move on. We don’t want to be late.” Gwen leaned in a gave Morgana a peck on the lips before stepping away.

“Aw, that’s it?” Morgana asked, faux pouting.

Gwen smiled and said, “I don’t want to mess up my makeup.”

Morgana nodded. “Fair point. But as soon as this day is over, I’m getting a proper kiss from you.”

Gwen glanced back at her, still smiling. She was looking forward to that.

“I’d tell you two to get a room but we should get a move on so we’re not at the back of line,” Elyan interjected.

Gwen turned away, her cheeks burning, while Morgana chuckled.

“Speaking of photos, should we take a few before heading into the con? Take way we can get some nice shots before we get all hot and sweaty in there?” Elyan asked.

“That’s a good idea. We can take some out around the hotel. I think I saw a nice, open space we can use,” Morgana replied. She grabbed her gear bag and followed Gwen and Elyan out of the room.

 

“Are my Skywalker twins ready for their first photoshoot?” Morgana asked after getting her camera ready.

Gwen and Elyan nodded as they waited for her to instruct them on what to do next. Morgana gave them a few pointers on how pose and let them to the rest as she snapped the photos. She took some of them together and separate. Morgana enjoyed photographing Gwen and was glad they were now dating or it might have gotten a bit awkward.

After everyone was satisfied with the photos taken, the three of them made their way into the convention hall. Morgana slid her hand into Gwen’s as they walked through the crowd.

Gwen glanced down at their clasped hands, still getting used to having someone to hold hands with.

“Don’t want to get lost now do we?” Morgana said, giving her a half smile.

“We wouldn’t want that to happen,” Gwen said, giving her hand a squeeze.

She was glad to have someone to share this side of her with and she was even happier it was Morgana. It was still too early to know for sure how this relationship would go but she had a good feeling about this.

“Something on your mind, Gwen?” Morgana asked, noticing her thoughtful expression.

“I’m just glad you’re here with me,” she replied.

“Me too.”


End file.
